Looking Beneath the Beneath
by PsychoSophie
Summary: Naruto/Kakashi pairing. Story Much better than Summary. read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto

**Looking beneath the beneath**

**Chapter 1:**

Naruto looked up from his training to watch the sun rise. He had on black cargo pants but no shirt. He had an eight pack and the gravity seals on his wrists were clearly visible, holding his katana. The blade had a crimson hue to the edge and the hilt was black with intricate designs in crimson. The katana faintly hummed with energy.

"Hey Kit!" A voice called to him from a nearby by boulder. "If you don't hurry you'll be late" a small fox with nine tails told him.

Naruto sighed "yeah, you're right"

He then grabbed a scroll he had in one of his pockets and placed the katana in it. Then he put a henge over himself. Instead of a 5' 9" male with long blonde hair that was in a ponytail, blue eyes ringed red, heavily muscled and an all black ensemble; there now stood a 4' 5" young/naïve looking boy with short spiky hair held in place by a leaf headband, pure cerulean eyes, and a bright orange jumpsuit that all but screamed 'here I am, come kill me'.

Naruto grabbed his backpack from where it rested against a tree and slung it onto his back. The fox jumped onto Naruto's shoulders. He then took off through the forest and headed back to meet his genin team for their first 'C' ranked mission. As he ran, he thought about all he knew and could do. After a particularly brutal beating had sent him to Kyuubi, the two had become close fast. Kyuubi had explained that Orochimaru had tricked him into believing it was Konoha who had killed his younger sister, which had sent him into on a deadly rampage, making him attack Konoha. Naruto had never blamed Kyuubi for the way the villagers treated him. All he had asked is that Kyuubi train him. Kyuubi had agreed and over the next few years trained Naruto in many subjects. Naruto mastered the Chakra control exercise (however, he had to practice them every now and then as his chakra reserves were still growing); He had then moved on to chakra manipulation and had managed to incorporate wind element chakra into his kenjutsu style. He had taken the basics of several kenjutsu styles Kyuubi had picked up over the years to create his own style. He was close to finishing the style and is trying to find a name for it, it utilized speed and every hit counted even if it was just a scratch. He had done much the same with his taijutsu style. Both Kenjutsu and Taijutsu were low-to-mid Jounin level. Naruto had managed to learn a few low level medical jutsu, including Chakra Scalpels. He had an intimate knowledge of poisons; he could identify them with ease and their antidotes with very little info. He could also use poisons to kill, maim, and use in interrogation. He also had an extensive knowledge of human anatomy and an excellent grasp of human psychology. Kyuubi had taught him one handed seals which he could do for any jutsu he knew up to C class. He knew the shadow Clone jutsu and put it to its fullest use (as much as he could without frying his brain anyway). He, if tested, would be considered a master strategist. He had achieved Journeyman level sealing abilities recently. His ninjutsu was not as large as he would like. Kyuubi had never need to use jutsu. The only reason he could teach one-handed seal to Naruto is because he had watched a shinobi for a few years learn them once. He knew he had fuuton and Raiton as his major affinities with Suiton as a minor affinity, but he hadn't been able to do much with the Raiton or Suiton. He knew the academy three justu, the shadow clone, the variations of the shadow clone technique, the shunshin, Fuuton: Daitoppa, and Kaze no Yaiba. So his Ninjutsu was around mid-to high chunin level. The only thing he was not able to do is genjutsu. Both he and Kyuubi had quickly learned anything above the level of henge just blew up in his face. So he worked on dispelling genjutsu. He now could see through and escape any genjutsu low B rank and below. Putting him at about mid-high chunin level in genjutsu. His accuracy was as good as any weapon master/mistress. Naruto figured himself at about low jounin rank and skill when you put all of his skills together. He just knew he needed experience to help him improve. Thus for the last year or so Naruto had been sneaking out of Konoha to take on bandits and low level missing nins (C rank and below) for the bounties he could get off of him. He used a henge and a fake name to buy a house on the outskirts of Konoha; there he kept a garden with various herbs and poisonous plants. He had even found himself in the bingo book. In the C class section. It just listed him as shadow and all the people he had killed. Kyuubi called that a good start.

However, no one knew this but Naruto and Kyuubi. Not even the Hokage. Naruto had found ways to avoid being spied on by the crystal ball. All anyone saw was a hyper-active, idiotic, shinobi-wannabe.

Naruto was knocked out of his musings when he arrived at the edge of the forest just a few feet away from his team. However, they didn't notice him as he had masked his chakra to blend into the surroundings and, when he wanted, he could be absolutely silent. Naruto petted Kyuubi absent-mindedly as he thought about when he had first found out who was on his team. Before finding out he'd be with Sasuke and Sakura, he'd thought he'd show what he was capable of to his team. That idea had crashed and burned, then been stomped to little pieces and scattered on the winds when he'd been put with the emo king and his pink-haired banshee cheerleader. Naruto sighed once more before setting a wide grin on his face and caused a racket as he exited the last few feet of forest. Sasuke was brooding and Sakura was fawning over Sasuke. When Sakura looked at Naruto she saw the fox on his shoulders and screeched "WHAT IS THAT ANIMAL DOING ON YOUR SHOULDERS?!!"

Inwardly, Naruto and Kyuubi were bashing their heads against mental walls and holding their ears in pain over the shriek. Outwardly, however, Naruto just kept smiling, and said (loudly and cheerfully (not as loudly as Sakura)) "This is my pet Kyu! Will you go out with me?"

"You baka!" Sakura yelled at Naruto "I don't want to go on a date with you!"

"Awww…" Naruto said, looking disappointed.

Internally both Naruto and Kyuubi thanked kami that she hadn't accepted, and congratulated each other. Kyuubi saying that Naruto should get an award for his acting.

Then, before Sakura could start yelling again, Kakashi poofed right in front of them. Sakura and Naruto both yelled at him that he was late and Naruto was rolling mental eyes at how easy it was to read Sakura. Kakashi noticed the fox sitting on Naruto's shoulders. "Hey Naruto, who's your friend?"

"That's Naruto's pet fox and his name is Kyu." Answered Sakura, trying to sound smart, and just coming across as stuck-up.

Kakashi just 'hmmm'ed and they all left the village, escorting their client, Tazuna, back to wave. The name Kyu and its relation to Kyuubi had not escaped Kakashi, or the multiple tails the fox seemed to have. "Hey Naruto, how long have you had Kyu?" Kakashi asked him, fishing for details.

Naruto looked at him before answering. He figured he'd give hints to his sensei. He might not like his teammates, (read: can't stand them), but his sensei might not be so bad. Time would tell. So, making sure no one else was paying attention to him, he looked at Kakashi and allowed a smirk to show through his 'mask'. "I've had him since the day I was born" Naruto told him.

The, just like that, the smirk was gone and all Kakashi could see was the Naruto everyone else saw. "Is that so…" Kakashi murmured to himself.

Kakashi was snapped out of his musings when he sensed two chakra signatures coming from a puddle. Kakashi kept his expression unchanged, though he notice that instead of walking over the puddle like everyone else, Naruto walked around it, almost as if he could sense the two ninja hidden within it.

Meanwhile, Naruto was mentally scoffing at the skill level of the two. He recognized them, he'd seen them on one of his forays out of Konoha. He hadn't bothered with them because they weren't very skilled and the Mizukage had a habit of refusing to pay the bounty placed on kiri missing Nins. Now, Naruto was glad he hadn't bothered with the 'demon brothers' as they were called. (Honestly, the only reason they were dangerous was because the two worked together, other wise a low level chunin could pick them off). He could hardly believe their stupidity. The lad was in the middle of a small drought and they pick a puddle, of all things. It hadn't rained in days. Naruto just sighed, Sasuke and Sakura were both oblivious and Kakashi knew, but then, he is a former Anbu captain.

The demon brothers burst out behind the group after they'd gone a few feet past the puddle. They wrapped a chain around Kakashi and shredded him to pieces. Sakura panicked and Sasuke attacked. Naruto could feel Kakashi just inside the forest and knew it had only been a clone that was destroyed. Since he knew there was no real danger, he suppressed the instinct to attack and froze himself into place when one of the two sent an attack his way. He was forced to allow Sasuke to 'save' him, which caused Naruto much mental trauma.

Kakashi appeared then and trapped the two. Before they could be interrogated, however, they swallowed the suicide pills, kept hidden in their mouths, so they wouldn't betray their employer. "Good job sasuke" Kakashi said, before looking at Naruto "I didn't expect you to freeze, Naruto"

Sasuke smirked "Are you alright, Scaredy-cat?"

Naruto 'glared at Sasuke when an idea for his mask came to him. Using his kunai, he stabbed his hand and said "I vow, I will never run away from or be scared of an opponent ever again!"

Kakashi sighed "That's all well and good Naruto, but now you're going to bleed to death"

Naruto made himself act panicked while Kakashi started bandaging it. He noticed it was already well on it's way to being healed. 'Must be the fox's influence' Kakashi thought.

Naruto noted Kakashi's thoughtful expression and realized his rapid healing rate could give away how much involvement Kyuubi had in his life. Hopefully, Kakashi would pass it off as just being part of a jinchuuriki. Naruto was still mentally cursing his own stupidity. He only meant to hint at something else. He hadn't had enough time to judge how Kakashi might take knowing, well not everything, but most things.

After that the group started walking again. They had decided to keep going since Wave was closer than Konoha from where they were. As they walked, Kakashi fell into thought. He was thinking about none other than Naruto. What he knew about the blonde and what he had seen so far didn't fit. For starters, there was his pet fox, Kyu. The name itself sounded like Kyuubi and he could swear he had caught glimpses of multiple tales. And that smirk. It disappeared far to expertly. Then, during the fight he'd still been watching Naruto and just before he froze it was as if his body wanted to counter-attack, but the muscles were purposely frozen in place.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt something coming at them and called for everyone to duck. A man appeared among the trees, and Kakashi called him Zabuza, which caught Naruto's attention. He also felt the presence of another, but as he/she was non-threatening, Naruto did nothing to give said person away.

(A/N: The fight and ensuing conversation goes the same way it does in the manga. I'm just way too lazy to type it all out)

Naruto shook his head; Kakashi must be really tired to have fallen for the hinter-nin act. As soon as he thought that, Kakashi collapsed. Naruto freaked out with Sakura while Kakashi tried to calm them down by telling them that he was all right, he just needed rest.

Naruto ended up being the one to carry Kakashi. So Kyuubi was forced to walk beside Naruto. He had kept quiet throughout the journey because he knew Naruto needed to concentrate. Meanwhile Naruto was deep within his mask thinking. He was considering showing/telling Kakashi what he could really do. Slowly if possible. Kakashi had not sneered at Naruto, offered barely concealed threats or insults, or seem to have any grudge against him. Kakashi treated him like he was anyone else. Naruto glanced at Kyuubi and raised a mental eyebrow in question. Kyuubi shot him a quick fox grin at getting caught listening in to Naruto's thoughts. 'I think he's a good person. He won't judge you. I sense something happened to him, something connected to how he got that sharingan eye.' Kyuubi sent to Naruto through their mental link.

Naruto sighed, his decision made. He would have to make clear in some way that he didn't want his teammates to know. Naruto glanced back at Kakashi before saying, "I thought hunter-nins didn't move the body" in a voice so quiet only Kakashi heard it.

Kakashi looked at Naruto's face and saw the intelligence in his eyes before stiffening slightly at Naruto's implication, "te senbon…" Kakashi murmured.

Naruto smirked slightly before saying "hit the nerves that cause a near-death trance."

"Meaning he's still alive" Kakashi groaned

"You don't need to worry; it'll take at least a week for Zabuza to recover. A lot can be done in a week." Naruto murmured to Kakashi reassuringly, "now, you need to rest."

Naruto then knocked Kakashi out by hitting a pressure point. The rest of the trip was uneventful. They arrived at Tazuna's house before the end of the day. Sakura and Sasuke shared a room with a sheet as a dividing barrier while Naruto roomed with Kakashi waiting for him to wake up.

A/N don't forget to review


	2. Chapter 2

**Looking Beneath the Beneath**

**Chapter 2**

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

_Previously: Kakashi looked at Naruto's face and saw the intelligence in his eyes before stiffening slightly at Naruto's implication, "the senbon…" Kakashi murmured._

_Naruto smirked slightly before saying "hit the nerves that cause a near-death trance."_

"_Meaning he's still alive" Kakashi groaned_

"_You don't need to worry; it'll take at least a week for Zabuza to recover. A lot can be done in a week." Naruto murmured to Kakashi reassuringly, "now, you need to rest."_

Naruto then knocked Kakashi out by hitting a pressure point. The rest of the trip was uneventful. They arrived at Tazuna's house before the end of the day. Sakura and Sasuke shared a room with a sheet as a dividing barrier while Naruto roomed with Kakashi waiting for him to wake up.

Kakashi blinked his eye open and looked around. It was either nighttime or near that by what he could see of the sky. Kakashi looked around the room and noticed naruto sitting in a cross-legged position, clearly meditating. Kakashi sighed for a moment closing his eye, before trying to sit up. Hands aided him and Kakashi opened his eye to see naruto helping him. One thought ran through his mind 'I didn't even hear him move!'

Naruto was watching Kakashi and enjoying shocking his Jounin-Sensei. His expression was priceless.

As soon as Kakashi was comfortable he asked "how long was I out?"

Naruto grinned, "Not long, just the rest of the day, but you'll find yourself fairly well rested. The pressure point I hit also helps speed recovery, as well as knocking out the person it's being used on."

Kakashi raised his eyes at the information. "Just how do you know that?" he asked naruto, in a deceptively calm voice.

Naruto chuckled to himself at Kakashi's caution before setting in to be serious. "It's amazing what a person can learn when no one really sees you."

Kakashi's thought about that for a moment before his mind went back the pranks naruto used to pull and he realized something that made him want to curse his own stupidity. All those pranks had been done right under the noses of oblivious ANBU, who hadn't known what was going on until it was already done. Kakashi refocused on Naruto "just how strong are you really?" he demanded.

Naruto smirked "That is for me to know and you to find out. I would appreciate it if kept this between us. I'd rather not face Sasuke-teme's arrogance or Sakura's banshee like ways."

Kakashi agreed to that reluctantly, but he could see where naruto was coming from. Sasuke was an arrogant prick and Sakura was a cheerleader/Banshee that didn't know when to shut-up. "But why didn't Hokage-sama tell me any of this" Kakashi wondered, sounding and feeling puzzled.

At that naruto flushed slightly in embarrassment and inside his head Kyuubi was roaring in laughter at naruto 'getting caught with his pants down' so to speak. "I –ah- might no have, um, kept him, er, completely informed." By now naruto was looking rather sheepish.

Kakashi looked at naruto before chuckling himself. "Alright, I changed my mind, I won't tell anyone as long as you tell the Hokage what you are capable of as soon as we get back."

Knowing that was the best he could hope for he agreed. He had already assumed he'd have to tell the old man sooner or later. It just turns out it will be sooner rather than later "So, what now, sensei?"

"What do you mean?" was Kakashi's confused reply

"Well, at present, there is now way in hell Sakura or Sasuke would stand a snowflakes chance in hell at winning and/or surviving a fight against Zabuza or his fake hunter-nin partner." Naruto replied

"Ah that. Well, I think I'll teach them to climb trees." Was Kakashi's reply.

"you mean the tree-walking exercise? That would help sasuke's chakra control, and up his speed (all that running trying to get up the tree) and Sakura's Chakra reserves would increase, allowing her to do more than basic academy jutsu without getting exhausted. Naruto muttered, more to himself than to Kakashi.

Kakashi looked at naruto "but what to help you with?"

Naruto grinned "how about some elemental ninjutsu? I can use my affinities in taijutsu and kenjutsu, but my ninjutsu arsenal is rather lacking."

Kakashi nodded "I can do that"

"Good, now, you might want to go back to sleep. By the time morning comes around you should be almost completely back to your normal self." Naruto told him

Kakashi just nodded before allowing sleep to over come him. Naruto settled down leaning his back against the wall. Kyuubi came over from the shadows where he had been sitting earlier. Kyuubi jumped into Naruto's lap and settled down. Both of the retreated into Naruto's mindscape. Today it was a never-ending meadow. "You told him quite a lot, kit." Kyuubi rumbled now the size of a horse.

"I know, I don't know why, but I just felt like I could trust him. I guess I just went with my instincts." Naruto replied.

Kyuubi used its tails to pull naruto to his side and wrapped him up. "Rest kit, sometimes sleeping can be just as important as training."

So naruto fell asleep as the two waited for morning.

-Morning-

Kakashi woke up to see the morning light and hear the birds chirping. He took inventory of himself and realized Naruto had been right. He looked around and saw naruto sleeping with the fox in his lap. The first thing that pooped into his head was 'cute'. Kakashi chuckled at himself for thinking that before going to wake Naruto up.

Naruto felt someone shaking him in his sleep, so he opened his eyes to see Kakashi looking at him. "Wakey-Wakey sleepy head." Kakashi said in an unusually cheerful voice.

Naruto mock glared at him. (Naruto is not a morning person. He only trains early in the morning because he has no choice.) "How the hell are you so cheerful so damn early?"

"I'm just special that way" Kakashi told naruto in a sing-song voice.

The two of the joined Sasuke, sakura, Tazuna, Tsunami (Tazuna's Daughter), and Inari (Tsunami's son and Tazuna's Grandson). Breakfast was eaten in comfortable silence as everyone (the non-morning people) tried to wake up. "All right you to, listen up." Kakashi said looking at Sasuke and Sakura. "I'm going to teach you a chakra control exercise. Once mastered it will improve your speed and/or your chakra reserves."

"But why?" Sakura asked Kakashi.

"Because Zabuza is still alive. Hinter-nins are supposed to dispose of the bodies on site. Plus, the hunter-nin used senbon. It is unlikely he hit a kill spot on the neck with those." Kakashi informed them. "Also, naruto will be with me. It appears he will need a different exercise. It would be pointless for me to try and teach him chakra control."

Sasuke and sakura looked at naruto suspiciously before relaxing. Naruto was looking embarrassed. They were thinking 'it's Naruto. It must be because he is too stupid to learn what Kakashi wants to teach us.'

Naruto was laughing his ass off mentally at how easily the two were fooled. When breakfast was done Kakashi led his three students out into a nearby forest. He showed/explained to Sasuke and Sakura what they were supposed to do. He told them that when they were completely exhausted they should return to Tazuna's house. Kakashi then took Naruto away to a different part of the forest, far enough away from Sakura and Sasuke that they would never find him. "Alright, first I need to know what affinities you have." Kakashi told naruto.

My major affinities are Wind and fire, while I have minor affinities for water and lightning." Naruto told him.

Kakashi was surprised; usually a person had only one minor and one major affinity. Plus, wind and lighting were opposing affinities, and water and fire generally don't mix either. "okay, so I also have a few more questions I need you to answer honestly before I can think of an appropriate jutsu to teach you." After getting Naruto's nod of agreement he continued. "How good is your chakra control and can you do elemental manipulation?"

"I can balance kunai for hours, so my chakra control (near as I can tell) is nearing perfect. I can use water manipulation to make and control whirlpools of varying size, I can cut waterfalls using wind manipulation, I can control small lightning bolts, and I can make a candle go out from 20 ft. away." Naruto informed him.

Kakashi felt hi jaw drop. What Naruto could do, very few people could. "How did you learn all that?"

"I first learned Kage Bunshin, after figuring out that I learned everything it learned, I was able to gain years of training in a very short time. I have a lot of chakra so I was able to create about 500 clones and make them last all day." Naruto explained.

Kakashi nodded in understanding, but was still impressed. It took a lot of metal fortitude to be able to withstand the pressure on the mind caused by that much information flowing in almost constantly. "How about I teach you _water style: Water dragon_? The Jutsu creates a massive dragon that hits your enemy. I used it against Zabuza." Kakashi asked Naruto.

Naruto nodded. "That would be great. What rank is the jutsu?"

"It's a B-ranked jutsu (A/N: made that up. I don't really know it's rank)" Kakashi told him "keep in mind, this jutsu is only possible if you're near water and/or you have perfect control over water. Even then you couldn't use it in the desert. The amount of water around you and the amount of chakra used contribute to the strength of the jutsu."

Naruto nodded in understanding. After Kakashi showed him the hand signs needed naruto created twenty clones and began working on it. Kakashi watched his progress from a tree branch. He was astonished. Each time a clone made a breakthrough it would dispel itself to give the info to the rest of them. All twenty clones were gone after three hours and naruto could completely and correctly use _Water Style: Water Dragon_ to any degree he wished. Kakashi was ecstatic over how good his student was. He went over to where Naruto was. "Since you did so well I'll teach you one more jutsu. Kirigakure Silent Mist Jutsu. This jutsu isn't really a jutsu as it doesn't need a hand sign. All you really need to do is use elemental chakra manipulation to turn the water into mist." Kakashi explained.

Naruto nodded ad once again created his clones to help. This time Kakashi only stayed around for a little while before telling Naruto he was going to check on and help the other two fir the rest of the day. Naruto just nodded saying that he'd train by himself for the rest of the day after mastering the Kirigakure silent killing technique.

Kakashi went and supervised the other two genins until they were exhausted. He then walked them back to tazuna's in time for dinner. When they were all seated Sakura noticed that Naruto was missing "Hey sensei, where's Naruto?"

"Probably off training somewhere, don't worry about him just eat." Kakashi answered.

The two nodded and went back to eating. When dinner was done the two stumbled to their beds and collapsed into sleep. Kakashi went onto the roof and made himself comfortable for an all night watch.

**A/N: Review, Please! It inspires my ideas and motivates me to write. Sorry the chapter is so late. I lost the original copy of the story for a while and only recently refound it. Plus I recently got a job where I work weird hours almost everyday. Also, I keep getting called into to work on my days off since people keep calling in sick. So it has been slow going for me. Also, I'm typing this at night when I'm exhausted so sorry about any error I make, but please point them out to me. I'll just kepp making them other wise. Sorry for the long wait (and the long author's Note). Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted or favorited. Keep it up.**


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